INJURY jinxed Clarets winger Paul Smith revealed he could have broken his leg in the freak accident that sidelined him for the best part of a month.

But having finally got over his latest set-back, Smith is now aiming for a first-team comeback at Turf Moor.

The luckless wide man gashed his shin when falling down an uncovered manhole near his home.

The fall resulted in 12 stitches and curtailed a loan spell with Oldham Athletic.

However, Smith admitted it could have been even worse.

He said: "Someone had taken the cover off. It was pitch dark and I had just been to the car to get something out of the boot and I put my foot down.

"It went down about two feet and I caught the rim on the way down.

"I didn't feel it at first, I was more in shock. But then I looked at the leg and there was a gaping cut down to the bone. I went to hospital and the specialist said I was lucky not to have broken it."

The bizarre accident was the latest in a long line of fitness problems to dog the long-serving Burnley man and couldn't have come at a worse time as he looked to re-establish himself by producing the goods at Oldham after another stop-start opening to the current campaign.

To add insult to injury, Smith then suffered a further set-back when the stitches were removed. The wound re-opened and he had to wait a further couple of weeks for the gash to heal from within before resuming training.

He added: "It was just like skin on bone and when I had the stitches out it opened up. The club doctor said it was better just to let it heal on its own which took two or three weeks. The main thing was to keep it clean and get no infection in it and it was just a waiting game."

That finally paid off last week when Smith returned to full training and then made a playing comeback in the Clarets reserves' 3-3 draw at Port Vale last Wednesday night, when he enjoyed a full 90 minutes in a forward role.

His next target is a probable run-out in the reserves again at home to Tranmere tomorrow night and then to put himself in the frame for a place back on first-team duty.

With a busy programme coming up around Christmas, Smith plans to be ready for the call should it come, although a dramatic return in Burnley's derby clash at Preston on Saturday might be too soon, despite the shortage of left-sided players in the absence of the injured Lee Briscoe and the suspended Graham Branch.

He added: "I am hoping. In football people get suspended and injured and that's why the manager has got a big squad, for competition for places which is only good for the team.

"I played in the First Division about four years ago so I've had a bit of a taste. I've just got my fingers crossed that hopefully I will get a chance and when it comes that I take it.

"I think it's too early for Saturday, but you never know."

Burnley's game against Watford, which was postponed a week last Saturday, has been re-arranged for Tuesday, March 13 (kick-off 7.45).